Obama commends Congress on Sandy aid

1/28/13 7:20 PM EST

President Obama said Monday that while he had hoped it would happen sooner, he commends Congress on passing funding for Hurricane Sandy relief.

"For the families working to put their lives back together, every day without relief is one day too many," he said in a statement. "So while I had hoped Congress would provide this aid sooner, I applaud the lawmakers from both parties who helped shepherd this important package th[r]ough."

The Senate passed the long-awaited $50.5 billion aid package Monday evening, and it now heads to the president's desk.

Obama touted the work his administration has already done to help the region rebuild in the wake of the storm, noting that to date, over $3 billion has been spent to aid recovery efforts.

"Brick by brick, block by block, our communities are being made whole again. And we will not rest until the job is done," he said. "Again, I commend Congress for giving families and businesses the help they deserve, and I will sign this bill into law as soon as it hits my desk."